Wayne County Public Schools recognizes principal, assistant principal of the year
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on September 14, 2017 5:50 AM
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Youlonda Wynn, of Brogden Primary, is congratulated as she accepts the 2017-18 Principal of the Year Award for Wayne County at the Professional Development and Family Engagement Center Wednesday.
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Maguy Yancey, assistant principal at Carver Elementary School, was announced as one of three finalists and later received the county's Assistant Principal of the Year honor. Also pictured is Dr. Mike Dunsmore, Wayne County Public Schools' superintendent.
Wayne County Public Schools named its 2017-18 Principal of the Year and Assistant Principal of the Year on Wednesday night at the Professional Development and Family Engagement Center.
Youlonda Wynn of Brogden Primary School was named Principal of the Year, and Maguy Yancey of Carver Elementary School is Assistant Principal of the Year.
This year marked a revitalization of the award, said Dr. Yvette Mason, assistant superintendent of human resources, who announced the top administrators for the district.
WCPS, in conjunction with the N.C. Principals and Assistant Principals Association, patterned the honor after the Teacher of the Year concept.
Principals and assistant principals submitted their votes nominating administrators in the elementary, middle and high schools, with the top vote-getter in each category emerging as a finalist.
They then completed a portfolio and participated in an interview process, leading to the selection of the district's representative for the coming year.
Each finalist received a crystal award and a gift bag, the latter courtesy of the Wayne County Chamber of Commerce.
There was also a monetary stipend attached --$1,500 for Wynn and $1,000 for Yancey. Wynn also now advances to the regional competition, to vie for the distinction of being Principal of the Year for the state, Mason said.
Wynn, a Wayne County native, began her education career in 1997 at E.K. Poe Elementary in Durham as a fifth grade teacher.
In 1998 she returned to Wayne County, where she served as a second grade teacher at North Drive Elementary and she later worked as a teacher at Northeast Elementary. Then in 2006 she transitioned to school administration as an assistant principal at Grantham School. She was named principal of Brogden Primary in 2010.
Mrs. Wynn was both a North Carolina Teaching Fellow and N.C. Principals Fellow. She holds a bachelor's degree in elementary education and a master's degree in school administration.
Yancey started out as a world language teacher in 1996, teaching foreign languages abroad.
In 2000, she came to the U.S. to teach French, Spanish and EL (English learner) at Goldsboro High School, where she worked for 14 years. In addition to teaching French and Spanish, she also served as a world language instructional leader for seven years with the N.C. Virtual Public Schools.
In 2014, she moved into school administration, as assistant principal at Carver Elementary. She holds a master's degree in foreign languages and K-12 and superintendent certifications in school administration.
"She believes that an effective leader must have a clear vision and mission while using constant data to reach and enhance the educational goals set forth each year," Mason said.
"These people put a tremendous amount of time in," he said. "Their hearts are truly in the work they do," Superintendent Dr. Michael Dunsmore said.